Quang Lang Air Base

Quang Lang Air Base is a former Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) military airfield located near the town of Duc Son, Nghệ An Province approximately 75 km (47 miles) northwest of Vinh.^[1]

Quang Lang Air Base
Part of Vietnam People's Air Force
Coordinates	18°58′27″N 105°02′51″E
Type	Air Force Base
Site information
Controlled by	Vietnam People's Air Force
Condition	abandoned
Site history
Built	1966
In use	1966-1972
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Airfield information
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Elevation AMSL	60 ft / 18 m

History

On 19 January 1972, while escorting an RA-5C on a photo-reconnaissance mission over the base, Lieutenant Duke Cunningham and Lieutenant j.g. William P. Driscoll of VF-96 flying an F-4B engaged and shot down a VPAF Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21.^[2]

The base was attacked during Operation Proud Deep Alpha in late December 1971. More than 160 craters appeared in photographs after about two hundred bombs had been dropped, however the Pierced steel planking runway was broken in only fourteen places and was quickly repaired. East German television indicated that two MiG–21s were blown on their backs at the base.^[3]

On 6 March 1972, LT Garry Weigand and LTJG Bill Freckleton of VF-111 flying an F-4B engaged and shot down a VPAF MiG-17 near the base. Also on 6 March, while escorting an RA-5C near the base, an F-4J of VF-51 engaged a MiG near the base but the kill was unconfirmed.^{[2]: 54–5}

On 15 June 1972, during Operation Linebacker U.S. fighter-bombers again attacked the base cratering the runway.^[4] The base was attacked again on 18 June with further damage to the runway.^[5]

Current use

The base has been abandoned and turned over to farmland.

References

1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 427. ISBN 978-1555716257.
2. Sherwood, John (2015). Nixon's Trident: Naval Power in Southeast Asia, 1968-1972. Government Printing Office. p. 54. ISBN 9780160928697. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Thompson, Wayne (2000). To Hanoi and Back: The U.S. Air Force and North Vietnam, 1966–1973 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. pp. 203–4. ISBN 9781560988779. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
4. Joseph Treaster (17 June 1972). "U.S. planes raid MIG bases in North but shun Hanoi". The New York Times. p. 6.
5. Malcolm Browne (18 June 1972). "Airfields are hit as heavy strikes continue in North". The New York Times. p. 1.